The National Police Agency (NPA) is holding this year’s International Forum on Police Cooperation: Combating Transnational Crime today and tomorrow, featuring the most attendees and countries in the event’s history.
A total of 2,713 people are attending online and in-person, representing 52 countries across five continents, the agency said.
The event features keynote speeches and four panel discussions on telecommunications fraud and human trafficking, illegal cash flows and money laundering, cybercrime, and drug-related crime.
Photo: Chiu Chun-fu, Taipei Times
Attendees come from international organizations and law-enforcement agencies, plus senior representatives, diplomatic envoys stationed in Taiwan, and domestic officials and experts.
They include ministers or deputy ministers from three of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and three top police chiefs.
About 263 participants from 40 countries are expected to attend in-person, with the remainder joining remotely.
In an age of globalization, crime knows no borders, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said at the opening ceremony today.
Only with close international cooperation, intelligence-sharing and professional exchanges can law enforcement tackle crime networks and fortify national security, he said.
Taiwan not only holds international responsibility, but is willing and able to work with the world to ensure public safety, he added, calling on the international community to support Taiwan’s accession to Interpol to further this effort.
International Association of Chiefs of Police president Ken Walker, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene and Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) were also in attendance this morning.
In terms of policy, Taiwan’s anti-drug efforts have entered the third stage, which centers international anti-narcotics cooperation, Cho said.
Last month, Taiwan and the US signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance two-way intelligence-sharing and jointly combat transnational drug trafficking, he said.
In March, Taiwan enforced new regulations requiring serial numbers to be printed on pill presses and key components used to manufacture drugs for export — similar to firearms control — to prevent equipment from flowing into the illegal market, Cho said.
This step makes Taiwan the first country in Asia to enforce such regulations, demonstrating its commitment to international anti-drug efforts, he added.
Criminals and drug-smuggling organizations often exploit the latest technologies, which triggers cross-border criminal activity worldwide, Liu said.
Domestic agencies and the NPA’s Criminal Investigation Bureau further launched a joint defense program to tackle cryptocurrency fraud that freezes suspicious accounts and returns stolen funds to the victims, Liu said.
In the first half of this year, the initiative returned more than NT$103.21 million (US$3.36 million) to 248 victims, she said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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